Goodbyes

Tarascon

After a further promise from the courier to pick up the air conditioner wasn't kept we bundled the offending item unceremoniously into the spare cabin- repository of all junk when we don't have visitors- said our goodbyes to the friends we had made over the past fortnight and cast off for our final day on the Rhone. The wind which had been blowing strongly for a week had moderated but what was left of it was behind us so we made good progress.

After passing through the Beaucaire lock the current picks up considerably and soon we were bowling along at 13kph (that's honestly quite fast for us) past the impressive castle at Tarascon and then onto the Petite Rhone just before Arles. Immediately the character of the river changes becoming shallower, more closed in and completely lacking in traffic. We didn't meet a single boat. The Petite Rhone runs right through to the Mediterranean but becomes very shallow in its lower reaches and navigable for only small boats. We turned off at Saint Gilles lock - back onto the canal system and into the Camargue region.

A couple of pictures from Avignon. I took a bus in from our Aramon port one day. The bus services are great here. Modern, comfortable vehicles and really cheap -only 1euro 30 for a trip. One driver was a bit of a worry though. He drove fast which is normal but more worryingly he was simultaneously having a blazing row with his wife on the mobile pressed firmly to his ear. And immediately after that, jabbing a text message!! Talk about fast and furious.

The Avignon bridge- from above this time.

View from the Jardin du Rocher des Doms, Avignon

Performers in Place de l'horloge, Avignon. I know there's a trick here but am not sure how they do it!